FIRST ON 3 UPDATE: VA officials say source of water issue has been found

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A spokesman with the Veterans Affairs in Fayetteville said the builder of the Wilmington VA facility has determined the source of the water discoloration. That discoloration led officials to stop the consumption and usage of water in the facility in late March.

Jeffery Melvin said after representatives with Summit Smith HealthCare Services conducted tests, they’ve pinpointed the source to of the water issue to be the galvanized connectors used to join copper pipes in the building. Melvin said the incompatibility between the connectors and pipes caused a chemical reaction that is the source of the water contamination.

There’s no word on when water use will be restored at the facility. Mike McGill with the CFPUA says the facility must test their water for three consecutive weeks and submit the results if their samples come back with low action levels. When CFPUA issued the order to not use the water, high levels of iron and other materials were found in the water.